They have said for years that they are libertarian. That's not true. By their works shall ye know them, and all that.
Rather, they're Washington Establishment, Libertarian Department. Everything is not pro-liberty, it's anti-Trump, all the time. (Speculation Alert) Probably their big donors insist on this, and you can't jeopardize the gravy train.
Case in point: Trump's biggest libertarian action to date (which dwarfs the DOGE spending cuts) is his executive order requiring each Agency to post all the regulations they have promulgated which have criminal penalties, and requiring the Agencies to rescind all that do not have a Mens Rea requirement. Seemingly there are hundreds of thousands of these, and not even the Agencies themselves know exactly how many. Thus, the need for the executive order.
Mens Rea is the legal term that defines knowledge that you are about to commit a crime - regulations with criminal penalties where you don't even have to know that it's a crime are basically the definition of tyranny.
You'd think that libertarians would be cheering this executive order from the rooftops.
[crickets]
I can only find one article on the subject which, despite its reluctance to do so gives credit where it is due. They even say this sort of regulation turns the rule of law into a cruel joke. So where's the celebration of a huge win for freedom? Where's the victory lap for self-proclaimed champions of "Free Minds and Free Markets"?
To ask the questions are to answer them. Donald Trump obviously provides the Wrong Sort of freedom. [rolls eyes]
Tagged Statist Pricks, Hypocrites R Us, and Filthy Lucre because, well, you know.
HYPOCRITE, n. One who, professing virtues that he does not respect, secures the advantage of seeming to be what he despises.
- Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary
8 comments:
Reason magazine has been basically all about being all for a fully open border and legalized marijuana, and not much else for quite some time, so it's not surprising they're anti-Trump, unfortunately, as he's been reducing the size and waste of government at least somewhat so far, and that should be cheered on by any libertarian-minded folks.
They seem to, in between hitting a bong, run on the gnome underpants theory that having an open border with people coming in willy-nilly and getting on our welfare/benefits system will somehow transform the country into a libertarian paradise.
Never mind that they're making quite the assumptive leap with that theory, and it's never worked before that a country has become libertarian with floodgate open borders and immigrants pouring in and clamoring and voting for government benefits, ever.
They've been hard left for years. Good riddance!
I remember Radley Balko writing actual libertarian articles in the WaPo and Baltimore Sun back in the 90's and early 2000s, esp after that one MD mayor got swatted from a porch package. But I think he left Reason and hasn't written for them in a while.
Funny, I still get the magazine, but have not had the time to actually read it much lately. Your points are well taken. I also used to enjoy The American Spectator with R. Emmett Tyrrell as editor. That was fun but I find a lot of commentary these days to be just -- tiresome.
Yep. It was for this reason I’ve never had any respect for them. My rights were not infringed one iota because stupid people couldn’t smoke pot, or legally have queers and troons fornicate with children or mass immigration. Culturally they were indistinguishable from the looney progressive left, and the only common ground i had with them were on some fiscal mindset.
Mind out the contempt went both ways - they thought I was an authoritarian Nazi. Maybe they’re right? Ever since the martyrdom of St. Floyd I have become ever more hatey and antisemitic…
😂
I could maybe find common ground with a real libertarian but the lunatics kinda ran away with the ideology…
This position mirrors the official positions of the Libertarian party. All that party seems to favor is:
1 open borders
2 legal weed
3 legalized prostitution
The entire party platform is identical to a fraternity brother running for public office. When I said so on my blog, it cost me a few readers. I don't care.
As useless as tits on a boar.
Remy was and is the only reason for following Reason :D
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